Level of 261..new here and ?'s

[Rhysluv]

I am not diabetic, but bought a meter just to check since I have been feeling crappy and now I am freaking myself out

Normal levels for me so far have been averaging 115-131 one hour after eating.

Today I went to a chinese buffet place and even had some ice cream, came home and I felt like horrible, pounding headache etc..and thought I'll test for the
heck of it and my level was 261 , 15 mins later it was 140.

Now is that a normal reading for one hour after eating dinner plus sweets? The other readings I have done, I haven't had sweets. Does ice cream make your
glucose level go that high when eating ice cream in a non diabetic person? sorry if this is scattered.

Thanks for the help

[Bountyman]

Your numbers are not non-diabetic. I suggest you find a good endocrinologist...skipping all the GPs that think they know what diabetes is about. Tell him you suspicion that you're diabetic and you'd like to have all the standard tests done to see where you lie in what's causing your diabetes, whether it's insufficient insulin response, insulin resistance, failing beta cells in your pancreas...all the tests that an endocrinologists uses as their benchmarks. Search out as much information as you can as to what diabetes is, what medications are available and what each one of them does...and browse this forum with a search feature if you'd like. Everything you need to know about diabetes and those that have it is ALL right here at your fingertips.

Welcome to the forum.

[shanna79]

Oh boy, a non-diabetic will never hit 200 regardless of what they eat. In fact, someone with a truly normal insulin response doesn't really go over about 130-140. A random number over 200 is a diabetes diagnosis. It sounds like you are in the early stages, but you are getting to diabetic levels.

[TrickyTreeFrog]

Welcome,

Test fasting when you get up in the morning....wash your hands very well then test before eating or drinking anything....for a non diabetic you would range in the 80's.......if your in the mid to high 90's your prob very close to pre-diabetic.....but I would take bounty's advice and get tested ....the doc can run an A1c blood test and would be able to let you know.

Good Luck and please keep us posted.

Hugs

Da Fwog

[Rhysluv]

Thanks so much for the response. How long of fasting before I test? 8hrs?
Thank you for the advice, I will definitely read up on it more.

What's the normal fasting numbers for someone without diabetes?

[Rhysluv]

Oh and no I am wondering if I may of got something on my hands while eating before testing when I got the 261..

[Chanson13]

It's entirely possible to have get a high reading because you had a small amount of sugar on your finger. Ice cream would be a good candidate.

Whenever I have an unexpected high test result, I double check by washing and re-testing.

[Rhysluv]

I fasted from 11pm last night, no food or drinks and it's 10:16am my level was 101.
Is that a normal level?

[jenb]

Out of curiosity, why are you concerned about your blood sugar? If you believe you may be diabetic, see a doctor and get a diagnosis based on real testing. While we can give you a lot of support and advice on the ins and outs of daily diabetes management, we can't hang out the "Doctor Is In" shingle - that's for a licensed medical professional.

Let us know how you do.

Jen

[Rhysluv]

I started to test because if I don't eat I feel very weak and tired around 3 hrs after eating so my mother in law suggested I test, then I got that high number and came to find answers to see if it was normal.

Yes going to the dr would be the best answer but seeing as I am a stay at home mom with no Job and no insurance , I can't afford $100 plus out of pocket to see a dr.

[jenb]

I'm sorry you're in such a bind, Rhysluv. With diabetes, though, a $100 doctor visit now can save you a lot of expense and misery later. It's very important to get an accurate diagnosis....perhaps your MIL or someone else can come to your aid.

In the meantime, if you think you're having blood sugar trouble, stick to a lower carb diet by eliminating sugary sodas and desserts and reducing or eliminating starchy carbs like pasta, rice and potatoes, as well as fruits (especially dried fruits). Grains in large portions can be problematic too. There's a lot of information available in the "Diet and Nutrition" section here on the Forums that will make dietary changes easier.

I truly wish you the best and hope you'll keep posting.

Jen

[Rhysluv]

Thanks for the advice, I'm hoping to eventually get added on to my husbands insurance and I get tested.
Thanks again

[Bill_Iowa]

Hello Rhysluv,

You're way ahead of most folks at this stage of the game as most don't buy a meter and strips until after dx. Your meter is a very powerful tool, with some limitations. One, you have to be test properly, as mentioned above, thoroughly wash your hands in hot soapy water, rinse and dry well, then test. If a number is really high, like your 261, test again immediately (re-washing, etc.). If it's a similar number, then it's probably correct. Also, most of these meters are only accurate within about 10%. So, a 100, could be anywhere from a 90 to a 110. If you log your readings, your meter will show a trend. Measure often enough and you see a trend upwards, you may want to buy an A1cNow (Bayer, $30 for 2 testers) test kit, which will measure your average blood sugar over the prior 2 to 4 months. There are conversion tables to convert the A1c to average blood glucose (meter). If you are early stages, the A1c may be in the normal range, but at least you'll know your BGs haven't been too high, too long.

If you don't have money for a doctor, do what we dx'd diabetics have to do. Eat a healthy diabetic diet and exercise. Those two things are the best prescriptions you can have. If you are insulin resistant (or becoming so), exercise will help with that. If your blood sugars have been spiking to high numbers (140 or above) after meals, a controlled carb diet will help with that. Finding those foods that are don't spike your BGs and have all the vitamins and minerals you need, will be the trick. For example, 5 ounces of orange juice has 100% of your daily requirements of vitamin C, but is loaded with about 15g of carbs. 4 ounces of raw cabbage has 100% of your daily requirements of vitamin C, too, but with only 6g of fibery carbs. It may not budge your BG numbers up at all. There are lots of choices to make when it comes to diet.

Diabetes Forums (DF) is a good source for all there is to know about diabetes. If that's what's happening with you, you can nip it in the bud right away and be much better off for it.

Keep posting, share some more information with us (count how many carbs in each meal of the day for us for instance (or tell us what you eat, we'll know the count)), keep measuring, and I hope in short order we can get you to feeling better between meals.

[Moonpie]

welcome. Many of us manage the Diabetes by diet alone. so it is a good place to start, till you can see a Dr. Do they have any free clinics in your area, I know many hospitals have them, Drs volunteer an evening etc), but they are sometimes hard to find.